The Washington critic., 1887-12-31
NEW YEARS EVE.
somo OF the Scenes that win Bc Witnessed
Tonight.

Tonight.
Did you ever notice how readily you
can tell PERSONS nationality, religious
beliefs and even the section of the coun-
try in which he was raised by noting
what he does OH New Years eve? You
can.
New Years obscrvances have been
customary ever since the beginning of
history, though there is hardly Il holi-
day more diversely celebrated. The
Jewish New Year is in the fall, on the
day when Adam is supposed to have be-
gun existence. The Asiatic nations eel
ebratc it in the summer. The Roman
New Years day was formerly in March,
but it was changed to the first Of tho
month named after Janus-January.
The ancient Britons celebrated IL rs
the principal festival of the year The
Druids cut branches of mistletoe with
| peculiar religious ceremonies. The
Saxons spent the day in fcstivity and
giving presents.
Early in the Christian era the day had
become one of brutal, drunken sensual
ity, the people indulging publicly in the
grossest forms of licentiousness.
The church tried to suppress the cele-
| bration of New Years, but it was too
| firmly rooted in the hearts of the peo-
pie, and the church then turned its at
tention to reforming the festivities.
In the fourth century December 90
was fixed MS the birthday of Christ; and
January j, being the eighth day after,
became the anniversary Of the circum-
cision. The Council of Tours (567,
above mentioned, gave authority and
weight to the day by ordering that on
January l mi9Sd circunciStonts should
be celebrated, It was not until late in
the sixteenth century that January j
was universally accepted us the first day
the day with the circumcision of our
Lord had powerful influence in giving
the day religious character, and i'm
parting to it certain distinctive Christian
features,
In Scvtland and Ireland, in olden
times, it was not considered "good
form" to enter neighbor's house on
this day without bringing present,
usually bottle of whisky. In this
way, perhaps, the habit of receiving
friends and furnishing them drinks
originated. In some Of the religious
communions there is special midnight
service. In many of the Roman Catho-
lie churches Te Deum is sung at mid
night. In the Episcopal Church, al
though the practice is by no means uni
versal, the new year is ushered in with
II religious service.
In America, made up as it is Of people
of all nations, the new year customs
partake of the customs of all countries.
But peculiarly American observance
| nr In, ,e ,,l, ~ In fol,
meetings." at which the time before
midnight is passed in religious worship,
after which the birth of the new year
is greeted with burst of song or the
church bells.
The person who spends tonight on
the Avenue will hear a strange medley
of noises at midnight. The first moment
of the new year will ring with the sono-
rous tones of the chime-bells of the
Metropolitan M. i. Church, as Profess
sor Widdows makes the echoes ring
with the first notes of "Joy to the
World" Then will come pistol-shot
a'blast from tin-horn, increasing to Il
regular fusilade of pistols and diaboli
cal "toot-toot" of tin-horns that ban
ishes sleep from any sleepy eyes that
may be shut.
The streets are full of young men, and
some old ones, too, VINO are taxing thell
last drinks preparatory to a New Yeal
, ''swear OFF," and many "never chic
touch mother drop s'long s'live hic)
+ s'helpme," will be repeated, to the bar
, keepers intense amusement.
The Washingtonians are not all drunl
at this time, but except the newspaper
men and the watchers of the publ,
5 peace land not all of these can be ex
: cepted), every one on the street is drunk
or wishes he was.
The chimes continue, the pistols ar,
fired at longer intervals and the leather
lunged horn blowers are becoming tired
Q and soon the silence is broken only b,
: the music of the bells ringing out owe
| the housetops and the rattle of an occa
sional cab AS it clashes over the "a
tracks and on to the smooth pavemen
: again, and at 3 clock all is rs quiet as
0 will be tomorrow night and every nigh
t after during the year that will have jus
l commenced,